Apparatus for making plate glass



Aug. 9, 1932. w. G. KOUPAL APPARATUS FOR MAKING PLATE GLASS Filed Aug. 26, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheetl 2 INVENTOR Patented Aug. 9, 1932 WALTER GixotrrAL. on TAREN'LUM, YISENNSYI.Vanni,Assistme -'ro PLATE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OE VPENN'SYJNANI PPA-TENT OFFICE rimTsBURGn:

APPARATUS FOB lIATE.l GLASS applepationjiea"August 26,1931. seriai'n. 559,411.

The invention relates to an apparatus for making plate glass by a continuous vertical rolling process wherein a' pair of horizontal sizing rolls are located with their lower sides in a glass bath and a sheetis formed therebetween which is carried first upwardly and then laterally through a horizontal leer. In

the operation of this apparatus one of the serious diiculties encountered is the securing of a good edge upon the sheet formedV and it is ordinarily necessary lto trimY off fourl or iive inches'at each edge ofthe sheet due to the imperfections in the edge glass. This is due in large degree to a temperature condition which exists at the edges of the bathV from which the sheet is drawn. The glass along the sides of the pot or extension from whichthe sheet is withdrawn is exposed to extra cooling andbecomes cold Vand stiff as compared with the glass in the extension which is remote from such sides. As a result this glass at the edges flows very slowly and devitriiies, thus retarding the flow of glass to the ends of the rolls where the edges of the sheet areformed. Consequently the edges of the sheet are rough and irregular and require continual attention. The glass at the extreme ends of the rolls is further of too low a temperature to allow good adhesion to the rolls*A to occur, and slippage lines appear at-the edges of the'sheet which, as stated before, cause four to ve inches loss, and also cause bubbles to be formed which may appearin other parts of the sheetthan the edgev portions. The present invention is designed to overcome this diiiiculty by preventing too great radiation of heat from the glass nextto the sides of the tank in proximity to the ends of the rolls and by reducing the eect of the waterY coolers employed on the glass and rolls at these points. One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein: l A

i Figure 1 is a vertical section through a portion of aA glass tank equipped with Vthe improvement. Fig. 2is a perspectiveview showing the construction to which the inven-V tion particularly relates. And Fig.VV 3 is a section on the line III-III of Fig. 1.

Referring tothe drawings, 1 is a melting tank provided at its end with a pot or' exten- 50 sion 2, from which the glass sheet 3 is withdrawn and carried upward and laterallyon the runway comprising the cooled rollers 4. The glass sheet'is formed continuously and carried into and through a roller leer, not shown. f Beneath the extension 2 is a fire box or heater provided with iiues 5 for gases of combustion, which are provided with suitable Bunsenburners as `iswell known inthe art. A

The glass sheet 3 is formed by means of a -60 pair `of Ydriven water cooled rollers 6, 7, whose peripheries lie inthe molten glass of l the extension 2. Y These rollsma'y be driven p and cooledin any suitable manner, such as indicated in the patent to Frederick Gels- 5 tharp No. 1,615,834, dated February 1, 1927 .f The rolls are vprovided with shaft portionsS, 9, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, such shaft,-

portions lying above the side walls 10 of the 76 pot or extension and being mounted in suitable bearings. i Lying above the surface of the glass in the extension-2 are a-pair of shade stones 11, 12, such stonesbeing made of refractory material and serving to restrict the radiation of heat fronthe glass bath. These stones are provided with downwardly projecting lips 13 and 14: whose lower edges lie just above the surface of the glass, the inner faces of the lips being spaced' away from the '80 rolls 6 and 7, as indicated in-F ig. 1. i

Seated `upon the side walls ofv thetanks at the ends of the sizing rolls A6 and 7 are lpairs of blocks 15, 15 and 16, 16 of refractory Ina-[ .Y terial such as ire clay. yThese blocks have their inner surfacesfitted'to the lcontour of; the rolls and their shaft extensions and project outover the surface Vof the glass a substantial distance,as indicated inFigs. 2 and 3. These blocks serve to restrict the radia- 00 tion of heat from the surface of the glass closely adjacent the tank walls so that such glass is kept at a higher temperature than would be the case if the blocks were not used. This is desirable for the reason heretofore pointed out as the formation of devitrified glass at the ends of the rolls is avoided and the rolls have a better traction upon the glass at these points due to the higher temperature of the glass. This reduces the slippage at these points and avoids thedefectincident to suchY slippage sov that amuch.V smoother edge is secured upon the edge of the roll than would otherwise be the case.

12 and the roll= 7 with its ends on topofv the* shade blocks 16, 16, as indicated in FigsZ and 8. This cooler is of metalg'rectangularin cross section, and is provided with. a pairof.

pipes 18, 18 by means of whicha circulation of` water maybe lsecured throughs the member., It serves; toprovide additional cooling: for the roll 7 vand for the. glass:l bath ,on the. tank side 'of' suchfv roll, this being74 desirable, because thel temperature conditionsat this side ofi. the; pair of rolls are relatively high-A asfcomparedfwiththose at the; other side ofthe-,pair of: rolls due tothe proximity of the; melting-tankand tothe relatively high tenn- .peratune ofthe glassflowing from the*y tank.

tothe-drawing extension;` Thegwater cooler.-

may, be supported. from abovehy any suit.- ablefmeans, such. as the bars L7a(and'f.17b1se' curedtothe framework surrounding the tank andi preferably adjustable vertically'y and horizontally; n

The end'sfogf the water-caoler. arenotchedI out, as indicated at 18 in Fig; 2,)sothat shoulders are provided lying' above the bloclrl,v 161 and'L contacting therewith. This: notchingx of. the endsy of thee-water, cooler reduces; the;` cooling edect of:` thel water cooler upon; the. glass adjacent the ends of the ,rollsfand also; reduces thecooling effect' off` the' cooler: upon v. the; endsbf the rollswhich` is desirable for; thereasomheretofore indicated, inasmuch as` the` difliculty incident tothe use of' thistype of apparatus isk due tothe :relatively i low.r tem perature. conditionA of. theA glass at the ends.

ofthe rolls. 'llhezxnountingof thefends; ofl

thecooler on: the: shadebldcksnotL only ree moves the end. of the. cooler from` close proxeimityt'o, the glass. atr` the ends ofA the rollsf butth'e ends,- of`r suchablocksfshieldlthe ends ofi thefrolls to. a,- s'ubstantial degree from the'- cooling effect:` ofy the, cooler. A; similar. cooler; 19-`may`be y.used opposite .'the;roll.z6,V as indicated in dotted: lineslinvFig.- 1but101tdinarily this' is not; required; Suche coolen. if-,used, may be A mounted above-the pair ofi shade blocks 1.5, 15, ast heretofore described'..

in.: connectionx with. the;r blocki 16, 16. .Y 'Ilrianeguiar members20, 20 -are-usedat theends of:

thee rorllseto` prevent the` glass.r from. spreadinggout laterally. Suchimembersareknown,

as guns, but are well known in the art and constitute no part of the present invention. Metal guns are preferably used which are hollow and heated by gas as shown in my Patent No. 1,519,314.

The use of the shade blocks 15, 15 and 16, 16 substantially improve the temperature conditions at the ends of the rolls so that much smoother edges are formed than is the case where such blocks are not used and slippage. lines: are substantially eliminated. As airesult, only an inclr or-tvvoat'eacli edge lof the sheet need be trimmed off as compared with four` or five inches as has hereto- The cooler 17- lies between thefshadestenefore been required so that the improvement giyesea substantial increase'in the production fromrthe machine..v

WhatIclaiin'is:

1. Incombinatioma glass tank containing a body` of molten glass and open above a portion ofv such bodyaf pairofA horizontal; driven glass andaadaptedato.; restrict the cooling off the glasatlierebeneath..

2: lin comloinationa1 glass; tank; containing abody ofmolteniglasafand openabove a por-- tionzof suchbody, a .pairof horizontalzdriven and cooledl sizing;` rollsseatedabovesaid por.- Y

tion. of; the-:- bodyv of .glass and' having' the lower portions ofi their peripheries immersed im such body; .shadeistoneslon-.each side offthe pain o-frollsiextendingf across the top.` of` the' tank andL provided; with; lips'I above theI surface of the; glass adjacent: to the rolls.` but spaced.'AV away therefronn. andf shadey blocks seated: on;y the walls of theA tank between the shadestonesfandrolls and .extending out over the body; of? glass andsadaptedl to restrict the 1 cooling of-thefglass'thereb'eneath, such blocks being ittedmnztheir edgesto the contour of therolls;

3'. Ian combination, za'` glassetank-z containing asbody of'molten..glassaanchopen above la pory tion of: such bo.dy,.a Jpairxof horizontal driven anrlcooled sizing lrolls seatedabove said por-'- tion. of'. the. body: ofi-'glass and; having the lower'portionsmf their perip'heries immersedl imsnchbodyf, 3shadestones .on each. side off the pair of rolls;extendingacrossithe top'of'the tank.. and. prcivideclwithplipsv above the surfacei of. the; glass: adjacent: to thel rolls/butl spacedjantflay therefrom, shade.l blocks seated on the walls; of the tank@ between vthe 'shade stones and extending outover the..surface of thaglass;.aa1da hollowI waterrcoeled member of-rrectangular? cross section; lying between one of said lips andthe adjacent roll with its ends lying over the shade stones at the ends of the roll, said member being shaped so that the lower portion thereof lies below the level of the upper surfaces of the shade blocks with the ends 0f said portion remote from the side walls of the tank.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of August,

WALTER G. KOUPAL. 

